This disclosure relates to gas turbine engines, and more particularly to systems and methods to enable high compressor build clearance reduction in a gas turbine engine.
Gas turbine engines are used in numerous applications, one of which is for providing thrust to an airplane. When the gas turbine engine of an airplane has been shut off for example, after an airplane has landed at an airport, the engine is hot and due to heat rise, the upper portions of the engine will be hotter than lower portions of the engine. When this occurs thermal expansion may cause deflection of components of the engine which may result in a “bowed rotor” condition. If a gas turbine engine is in such a bowed rotor condition it is undesirable to restart or start the engine. The bowing effect is typically the greatest in a high compressor section of the engine that is closest to the combustor section of the engine.
One approach to avoid damage associated with bowed rotor deflection is to open build clearances in the high compressor section of the engine such that compressor rotor blades cannot contact other engine surfaces at the maximum deflection due to a bowed rotor condition. However, greater compressor build clearances can result in reduced compressor efficiency, reduced compressor stability, and increased fuel burn.